Chargers Sign Miller to Four-Year Contract

The Chargers signed their first-round draft pick, Tennessee wide receiver Anthony Miller, to a four-year contract Tuesday.

Moments later, Harold Daniels, the agent for free-agent linebacker Chip Banks, said he was optimistic that Banks would be signed by July 22, the date Charger veterans must report to training camp.

Deal, it appears, is no longer a four-letter word to the Chargers.

“The climate is different now,” said Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations. “For some reason last year, it was tougher to get things done.”

The serious part of the Miller negotiations took only two days, which is startlingly quick in the National Football League. At a news conference during which the Chargers officially announced the signing, Ortmayer said he had the answer.

“Everything Anthony does,” Ortmayer said, “is based on fast.”

The Chargers were sold on Miller’s speed, enough to make him the 15th pick in the college draft.

They did not disclose the dollar amount of the contract.

Nor would Bruce Allen, Miller’s agent, reveal how much his client will be making the next four years. “I don’t talk numbers,” Allen said.

“The best guess is that it is probably somewhere in the world of $1.7 million,” said an agent for another first-round player.

Allen did talk about his desire to negotiate a contract for Miller that would be shorter than four years. “The concern you always have in a four-year deal is that your client will be underpaid in the last year,” he said.

Allen said that in exchange for four years, he had Ortmayer build extensive performance incentives into the contract. “I don’t want to be a coach,” Allen said, “but I think the Chargers are planning on playing Anthony.”

It doesn’t take a genius to see why. The Chargers traded veteran Wes Chandler to San Francisco in May. And Coach Al Saunders says he plans to move Gary Anderson and Lionel James back to running back on a permanent basis in 1988. That leaves Miller, third-round pick Quinn Early and second-year player Jamie Holland as the fastest and favored candidates in the battle for two wide receiver spots.

On the eve of today’s mandatory reporting date for signed rookies, Saunders stopped short of conceding that Miller had already earned a starting berth.

“Anthony will have to battle for the job just like all the others,” Saunders said.

Ortmayer also announced the signing of rookie defensive end Joe Campbell, a fourth-rounder. That leaves the Chargers’ other two fourth-rounders--offensive tackles Stacy Searels and David Richards--sixth-round linebacker Cedric Figaro, 11th-round center Ed Miller and 11th-round defensive tackle George Hinkle as their remaining unsigned rookies.

Miller was as happy with the contract as Allen and Ortmayer said they were. “My pocket is a little bit fatter now,” he said.

“Is that going to slow you down?” Saunders asked, raising his eyebrows.

“No, no,” Miller promised. “No.”

Miller becomes the fifth NFL 1988 first-round draft pick to sign to date. The other four are Atlanta linebacker Aundray Bruce (5 years, $4.1 million), Dallas wide receiver Michael Irvin (4 years, $1.875 million), Phoenix linebacker Ken Harvey (4 years, $1.745 million) and New Orleans running back Craig Heyward (3 years, $1.2 million.).